Review: Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution

Whether you remember Amber Tamblyn, as I do, from her teenage television series “Joan of Arcadia,” or from the movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, or other subsequent television appearances — or not at all, this coming-of-age story makes for enlightening and informative reading. 

Tamblyn, a child star living in an unimaginable world, grows up to become a successful woman. Her journey is a long one marked by both unique experiences as well as many of the typical female ones to which we can all relate. She gradually grows from a passive young girl to an activist at the forefront of the “Me Too” movement as well as the “Times Up” organization.

In addition to sharing her own experiences and thoughts, Tamblyn brings in interviews and discussions with other figures who provide insights and critical information about the issues she presents.  She encourages deep thinking and positive activism as a form of personal responsibility in this crucial age of change in regard to perceptions about the male/female experience as well as other significant gender issues. 

Tamblyn refers to her maturing as occurring during an “Age of Ignition”: 

“A thriving time of condensed evolutions, where many discourses about who we are and the difficult dialogues about where we are going kick into high gear. It is an age where activism becomes direct action, when disagreements become dissention, when dissatisfaction becomes protest, when accusations become accountability, and when revolts become revolutions.”

Cecile Richards sees Tamblyn as a voice of her generation.

“Amber is a unique combination—a creative powerhouse as well as a fierce activist and advocate who understands that ‘feminist’ is not a passive label. Era of Ignition is beautifully written, unflinchingly honest, and laugh-out-loud funny. This is a coming-of-age story that chronicles not only Amber’s life and career, but this once-in-a-generation moment when women across America are discovering power and strength we never knew we had.”

This is not your typical star memoir, but a deeply thoughtful examination of one person’s life experiences in the light of the difficult questions of her time. With unflinching honesty, Tamblyn traces her own enlightenment and marks the trail for others struggling to find their way.

This is not light reading, but the book should definitely find its place on every woman’s bookshelf, particularly that of young women just beginning their own journey into adulthood and trying to make their way through the minefields of modern life — a great option for graduates this year.

Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution by  Amber Tamblyn is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and local booksellers. Published by Crown Publishing Group, New York, 2019. This article contains affiliate links.